The money market accounts most Americans have access to as part of their baking account is simply a higher interest rate savings account with slightly different

The money market accounts most Americans have access to as part of their baking account is simply a higher interest rate savings account with slightly different restrictions. It's not investing by any stretch of the imagination. I think the real difference is in the US is the feeling that our portfolio (i.e., our retirement account) is the only thing that will support us when we can't work anymore. Thus many Americans regardless of how much financial savvy are likely to talk about their retirement and how much it's been hit by the recession, the stock crash, whatever.